Red Lotus Loose Leaf Tea

Red Lotus Loose Leaf Tea is the rarest lotus on our shelf, the dried petals of the red water lily Nymphaea rubra, whose deep red-blue color holds into the cup. Offered from a 14 grams sampler through 1 oz, 2 oz, 4 oz and 8 oz, and by the Pound and Kilo.

At a glance

• Dried petals of the red water lily Nymphaea rubra
• Brews a wine-red to violet cup
• Carries nuciferine and aporphine plus anthocyanin pigments, no potency measured
• Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons per 8 oz of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes
• Sizes: 14 grams, 1 oz, 2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz, Pound and Kilo

The herb. Red lotus (Nymphaea rubra) is a night-blooming water lily of the Nymphaeaceae family, native to the ponds and paddies of India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. A close relative of blue lotus, its petals carry the alkaloids nuciferine and aporphine, and its deep color comes from anthocyanins.

What's in it. A whole dried petal tea, not an extract, with no measured potency. It carries nuciferine (the calm, body-easing side) and aporphine (the brighter, lifted side) with anthocyanin pigments, and sits between blue and white in character: earthier than white, softer than blue.

How to use. Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of petals per 8 oz of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes; water just off the boil pulls the color out best. The cup turns wine-red to violet, smooth and slightly earthy. Drink one cup and wait half an hour before a second. A squeeze of lemon shifts the color toward pink, and the petals blend with rose, hibiscus or chamomile.

What to expect. Users describe it as mellow and grounding, calm with a soft floral warmth, not a stimulant. For a concentrated form see our Red Lotus Extract, and for its paler cousin try our White Lotus flower.

Safety. Red lotus tea is mild; brewed very strong or cup after cup it can leave some people drowsy or dry-mouthed, the signal to use fewer petals next time.

• Do not combine with alcohol or sedative medications, as both can deepen the drowsy side of a water lily tea
• Not for use if pregnant or nursing; do not drive until you know your response
• For adults 21+ only; keep out of reach of children

Ingredients and storage. Dried Red Lotus petals (Nymphaea rubra). Keep in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard; the pigment is light sensitive, though the flavor lasts a year or more when kept dry.

Common questions

• What color does Red Lotus Loose Leaf Tea brew? A rich wine-red to violet, shifting toward pink if you add lemon.
• How does red lotus tea taste compared with blue lotus tea? Smoother and earthier, with less of the dreamy heaviness of blue lotus.
• Is red lotus flower the same as sacred lotus? No. What we sell as red lotus flower is the red water lily, Nymphaea rubra, a true water lily like blue lotus. The pink and red sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, is a different plant in a different family. Adults 21+.

Disclaimer. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Red lotus is a traditional botanical, and traditional use does not establish that it will produce any particular result. Consult your healthcare provider before use if you take any medication or have a medical condition. Use at your own risk and keep out of reach of children. Formulated by Healing Herbals, run by a practicing herbalist of 13+ years.